I have been given a LWB High-top Maxus van whilst my VW Transporter is in for service.

The LDV is appalling! It has done only 5000 miles and is the second one of these I have driven and the first was just as bad. Awful gearchange, turbo kicks in at the wrong time, naff interior, controls all over the place. Mirrors are rubbish, engine is noisy, radio is like an old transistor thing, it's like been put in the driving seat of a Mk1 Transit but without the presitigious badge.

We never knew how much to blame the hire company we had to use, but we collated about 70 journeys we'd made as a club using the vans. There had been a fault in more than 50% of cases, major (journey stopping) faults seven or eight times.

I personally had the brakes 'fail' on me twice, once when the rear load sensor went, causing the rear wheels to lock under the slightest pedal pressure, and once when it started pulling so hard to the left on the motorway that it needed half a turn of lock to stay on the road.

The guy from LDV that used to have to come out to retrieve us pointed out that the logo was the letters 'LDV' superimposed on a skip. I'm guessing that isn't a coincidence.

was being passengered in an ldv luton a good 10 years ago and as we traversed a railway bridge with old brick walls and a big drop to the line a front spring broke on the van with a hell of a bang
on investigating it transpired these springs were made of glassfibre, i thought the agents were kidding at first,anyway got that fixed and the next day an injector pipe broke so we hobbled to a bosch centre where we had it fixed as we waited

The Maxus isn't as bad as some posters say, I does drive ok, the engine is ok too but what lets it down badly is the detailing.

Agreed, the radio is a MG-Rover cast off from about 1990 and there has been many problems with the flimsy handles and locks particually on the rear doors. The door mirrors don't have a blind spot mirror and every one i've driven they vibrate slightly at motorway speeds. Totally inexcusable in a van.

Hovever the cab is a nice place to be, certainally more room here for passengers than a Transporter. The dash is nicely designed too and I don't agree with the comment 'buttons all over the place'. Why the dials are in the middle though is a mystery but they are easy to read.

What it needs is some experienced van engineers to sort all this minor stuff out and maybe it'll be fine.

I've driven both the Maxus and the Transporter for many many miles as part of my job and yes the VW is the better drive, but elsewhere it's closer than you think. A rubbish radio is not a reason to write it off!

Worst thing about the mirrors I found was once when driving down a narrow rd near caterham a VW transporter came the other way and unavoidable mirror contact occured.

My window was down and I ended up with dozens of really tiny thin bits of mirror glass peppered into the right side of my face, After 20 years of driving and doing dozens of mirrors in this manner this was the first time there was blood and injury and thats when I realized that every other van this size has a quarter light window which would prevent this from happening. Who designed the LDV ?

I really am at a loss. I have had a 2007 Maxus swb 6 seat combi platinum for 5 years now. It is the best van I have owned by a mile. 6 people and more luggage than you would ever need. My pal services it once a year and it has nearly never missed a beat. I have had 4 part worn tyres put on in 30 000 miles and the only other repair was clutch master and slave Cylinders. It is really fast, smooth and quiet. I never find a problem with where the nobs, controls and switches are. It has everything this van. Metallic, alloys, remote cental locking, electric mirrors, windows, air conditioning, CD player, alarm, reversing sensors, fog lights and a 20 000 service interval. Not to mention really good on fuel. Who are really reviewing the maxus on here? Who cares about some and I say some of the stuff on here? What has happened to the real men of the world? Just get in the van, go to work and stop whining about crap like refinement and bumps and squeaks. My wife and some female friends of mine do less whinging. Keep the maxus on the road and become a real man. Only if you are brave enough. Happy motoring

I hire vans fairly regularly, got a Maxus when they first came out a couple of years ago. Really wasn't that bad, drove non-stop from Glasgow to Muswell Hill in it in 6.5hrs without missing a beat, the 2.5 dci VM engine and cabin were both perfectly adequate over that distance and back via Edinburgh in sleet and snow.

I agree about the radio, though, this example had only done a couple of thousand miles and the CD player would work for all of ten mins before it kept trying to change constantly between CD and radio - but it all fairness, I think it looked like something had been spilled in it!

In contrast, I drove the current shape Transit the other day, vast disappointment compared to the last one - it stalled remarkably easily, and the dash-mounted gear change was clunky at best.

As for VW vans, I don't doubt they're nice places to be, but can anyone honestly say that the new Crafter is remotely pretty?? Seems to be a trend at the moment for giving vans huge grills and big vertical headlights, makes them look pretty brutal! They kinda remind me of Citroen H vans though!

I drive between 100 and 600 miles each day in my van. The van is as much a tool to me as the things that I carry in it. My transporter runs rings around this Maxus. I've had a local job today so I have only travelled 160 odd miles in the van and I stand by what I said last night. The radio that was rubbish to start with gave up altogether this morning. The heater control is jammed on 'screen'. The blower only works on top speed. There is a nasty clunk from the ns door whenever I go over a bump, as if it is not shut properly. The gearchange is like stirring a bucket of bricks.
After a busy day getting into my transporter is no problem but even this short journey home tonight was hard work in itself.

Remember, this van is an 07 reg with 5000 miles on the clock. Many of our works transporter vans are on over 300,000 at three years old.

I wouldn't trust this thing to get to 10,000

If, as you say, "a vehicle with faults makes you love it more"
you should MARRY this heap and may you live happily ever after

>>I've had a local job today so I have
only travelled 160 odd miles in the van and I stand by what I said last night. The radio that was rubbish to start with gave up altogether this morning. The heater control is jammed on 'screen'. The blower only works on top speed. There is a nasty clunk from the ns door whenever I go over a bump as if it is not shut properly. The gearchange is like stirring a bucket of bricks. After a busy day getting into my transporter is no problem but even this short journey home tonight was hard work in itself.<<

A radio is a cheap fix, so is a dodgy heater control and poorly fitted door.
A poor gearchange can loosen up with 20-30k hard use - the box on my Suzuki van is hardly slick, but it works.
Some vans are designed to be like a car and some are designed as pure tools, thus have a far more rough and ready approach to build.
Granted, the LDV shouldnt have all those faults, but they are trivial at best.
If it however has a tendancy for mechanical failure, that is unacceptable as vans are usually relied upon, perhaps more so than cars are even.

My Suzuki Carry is undergeared, noisey, the side door rattles a bit, the dashboard is from some early 90's supermini they made, glovebox catch rattles, window screeches when you wind it down, gets blown around in the wind and the gearbox is notchy until properly warmed up ( ie very rare doing its 10 mile typical journey ). So on the face of it, an annoying little van without any depth of ability.
It is however fantastic for my business being cheap to insure, does 40 mpg which is enough for town running, has a near 6 ft load bay that is totally without intrusion, twin side doors so great access, fantastic turning circle ( London Taxi esq ) and the steering makes parking and driving effortless even retaining enough 'feel' for cornering.
If you used it for your job, you would hate it.
I however love my little van and currently there just isnt a decent alternative available aside from Daihatsu's van but it would be barely a step up except in price.

There are enough LDVs around that there MUST be a reason for that.
I thought the T35 VW I hired was a plasticky vile place to sit and the driving position was useless too. Im sure someone out there thinks total opposite though.

Imagos said>>>>>All I ask is for you to consider the resources of the mighty V.W. company
against the small outfit that is L.D.V.

Is that an excuse for churning out such a rubbish van?

If you are satisfied with the Maxus then I am very pleased for you and can assure you that if you are happy with that van you should be happy in the knowledge that it can only get better! (This is my opinion and not that of HJ)

My PERSONAL opinion is that the Maxus is a diabolical van that I had low expectations of and it failed to meet them.

My Transporter is ready tomorrow and I cant wait to get it back.

Imagos, have a Transporter for a week and then tell me a Maxus is anything better than 1/10!

I have had the misfortune of being given an LDV Maxxus van from my work. Its a 120hp version which I am sure is the 95hp with no rev limiter.Long wheel base hi top version On the very first day out in the van the left rear door stuck shut and would not open. On the very same day the little button on the passenger side door fell off when I locked the doors with the remote. After a month only the left indicator and fog lamps were working at the back but changing bulbs is a nightmare , The wiring is too short and very weak and the plastic is very brittle ,ended up having 2 new rear lights,
At 3000 miles I have worn a hole in the rubber floor by the accelerator pedal already, the dashboard is rattling and I often hear a strange buzzing sound coming from the passengerside.
The turbo is rubbish and struggles with any weight on board even in 1st gear.
The brakes are already squeeking at the back, but the brakes have always been useless since new, The passenger door wont shut properly and needs a good slam, The drivers door creaks The electric window buttons are positioned where I rest my right elbow.
The door interiors and door mirrors move when using the electric windows which are very slow and noisy. And its drinking about 20 litres of diesel a week more than my old VW Transporter 2.8 turbo.
Found rust already. And the metal is so thin you have to be carefull when washing it as you can easily dent it with your sponge !!! On the motorway it pulls left and sways about all over the place .Severe road noise and wind noise and annoying beeping sounds all the time And if you have one with a parking sensor I say ignore it as it means nothing , its a waste of time
I want my 7 yr old VW back this is 3 months old and feels like its falling apart. I really feel sorry for anyone who has to drive one of these on a daily basis.
WHAT A DREADFULL VAN INDEED.

I recently hired a Maxus on 3 occasions from Hertz. Each one was less than a year old and all of them has many problems. The remote blipper for each one had failed, has to open with the keys. I kept resting my arm on the door and avtivating the electric window. The rear door locks were broken on all of them, and one of them broke down in McDonalds car park (immobiliser fault). Just a brief look at them shows they are thrown together. They did, however, drive OK.

As the OP, I gave my opinion of this van and you shot me down in flames.

Since my original posting my 55 Reg Transporter has been back to VW for a new set of brake pads and I asked my fleet office for ANY van rather than a Maxus saying that I would rather pay for a van myself if the Maxus was the only option. They sorted me out a Combo Van for the day which was fine

>>>>>>LDV Driver said............
I want my 7 yr old VW back this is 3 months old and feels like its falling apart. I really feel sorry for anyone who has to drive one of these on a daily basis.
WHAT A DREADFULL VAN INDEED.

I know what you mean LDV. As I said in a previous post, my companies 'Run-out' vans are 55 reg Transporters and have done around 300,000 miles and are still fine to drive covering an average of 2000 miles a week.

NOTHING WRONF WITH THE MAXUS AT ALL - YOU HATERS THAT CLEARLY DONT HAVE A CLUE ABOUT WHAT A WORKHORSE IS. GRANTED NOT THE SAME BUILD QUALITY AS A VW - BUT I BET IF I PUT THE WRONG OIL IN THE MAXUS IT WILL JUST KEEP GOING AS OPPOSED TO THE VW THAT WILL SPIT ITS TOYS OUT THE PRAM AND KNACKER THE CAM SHAFT... EACH VAN HAS GOOD AND BAD POINTS AND AS A WORKHORSE IT PERFECTLY ADEQUATE. WHAT A BUNCH OF HOT AIR SPEWING FAIRIES ON THIS FORUM. GET A GRIP AND RECOGNISE THEY ARE DIFFERENT VANS FOR DIFFERENT POCKET SIZES. NOW THE TRANSITS mk6 ARE IN A CLASS OF THEIR OWN AND NO ONE HAS MADE A VAN TO BEAT IT.

I have to say I disagree. I bought my LDV 3.5T 120hp from new 3 months ago. So far I have done 9500 trouble free miles. Now the engine has loosened up some what it is very quiet and economical (around 30 mpg). The brakes work very well and do not squeak at all. Bearing in mind I am a Kitchen Fitter and cart a hell of a lot of equipment around. It came with ABS, EBD, Air Con & Electric Windows. It is very comfortable to drive and has a lot better driving position (in my opinion) than the VW LT and Ducato, both of which I tested. It also has more cabin space and loading space. Granted it is not perfect. The wing mirrors need sorting out, better stereo(!), and maybe better plastics etc. But it is a first try for LDV bearing in mind they went out of business a couple of years back and before then their development partner Daewoo went bust. The Merecedes/VW are too expensive and have a rubbish warranty. I have a 100,000 mile warranty and the van costs me £250.00 a month. A first rate attempt and they are built in this country. The more people that buy one, the more money LDV will have to improve on the next one. As well as supporting manufacturing industry in this country.

I have read all the comments about this van and must add mine, I bought one of the first Maxus vans on a 55 plate and yes it has many faults but with a 100,000 warranty over 5 years most of its faults were rectified whilst under warranty.
Though I would not buy another Maxus mine has covered 110,000 miles and is running well I also have a Vivaro on an 04 plate that I purchased new and its had three gearboxes !

I conclude that the comparisons with VW are not just as a similar VW is almost double the cost of a Maxus you get what you pay for !!

How can trying to support manufacturing in this country be strange? Don't under estimate the power of "Buying British". I tried to as much as I can. That is my choice. The country needs as support for its manufacturing base

I dont disagree with buying British at all but a van is a tool to it's driver as much as the tools he or she carries in the back (in the case of the construction/engineering industry) and a very essential tool of lets say a courier driver. If you are waiting for a parcel to be delivered, your washing machine to be repaired or your kitchen to be installed I doubt if you would find it much consolation if the van driver failed to show up as he had been patriotic rather than buy a reliable van.

There has been talk of the good warranty of the Maxus. Is there an LDV garage where a builder can drop his van off at 630am for a warranty repair so he can still arrive on site at a decent time? I doubt it. Instead it is a case of wait until at least 8am, hand over driving licence, id etc for a courtesy vehicle, transfer your van contents into the hire van and then get to site very late, only to have to leave early to get the van back to the garage and go through the same all over again.

Wouldnt it be easier to buy a decent van to start with and the little extra that it costs would be easily covered by the fact that it will get you to work every day without any hassle?

We've got 5 of 'em on the hire fleet I maintain. They seem to be acceptable to commercial hirers. Pallets and standard sized sheets of various stuff all fit in.
Actually, we haven't had a single complaint about them, and believe me, hirers can be a moaning bunch of so and so's

Had this van a couple of weeks now, vast improvement on our old 99 ducato. And the build seems better than the 55 transits we were looking at.

We would have love to own a VW, BUT you cant really compare the transporter as its not the same size van and is no use to us. The other VW (crafter) is so much more expensive and cannot be compared to the maxus honestly. Im sure a Merc car is way better built than a Ford Ka!

We also have a few niggly problems but as it was bought used from a dealer we will have them all sorted.

British made and designed, brilliant. Not a great van, but then we didnt pay a great price. Better than a ford or fiat.

A few years ago I was unlucky enough to be the occupant of an LDV minibus enroute to Manchester Airport. Whilst attempting to get comfortable in those wretched seats I noted that it seemed rather gutless with the driver changing gear constantly to keep the speed above a heady 30mph. Just as I enquired 'everything OK?' it died. Talk about panic on my behalf - thought I was going to miss my flight! Luckily I managed to grab another taxi, a quick 'bye' to LDV man and into a diesel Astra. The contrast was amazing, we were cruising at 90, the seats were comfortable and it got me to the airport on time.

Referring back to the thread about the Sherpa... at the time of the miners' strike, I remember seeing a lot of them around Nottingham where I was a student. The "freight Rover" division of what was still trading as BL knocked out some Police specials which used to go like stink. That 3.5l Rover engine used to get everywhere...

Referring back to the thread about the Sherpa... at the time of the miners' strike, I remember seeing a lot of them around Nottingham where I was a student. The "freight Rover" division of what was still trading as BL knocked out some Police specials which used to go like stink. That 3.5l Rover engine used to get everywhere...

A very interesting van to drive - when the police introduced them to replace v4 corair engined transits they did a 'conversion driving course'. I think this was to get you used to driving a 100mph + skip. The gear lever was positioned very far back (like behind you) as the engine and gearbox had to be mounted so far back in the cab. If you gave them the welly you could empty a full tank of petrol in spectacular fashion. The best part was watching the flames come out of the exhaust on overrun. Shame the rear spring hangers couldn't take all the torque from that meaty engine - they regularly pulled away from the chassis rail. Steering one fully laden certainly built up the biceps!Stil they had twin rear wheels which made them quite stable unlike the Transit hightop 2.9 Granada engined specials that replaced them............

I have to say I disagree. I bought my LDV 3.5T 120hp from new 3 months ago. So far I have done 9500 trouble free miles. Now the engine has loosened up some what it is very quiet and economical (around 30 mpg). The brakes work very well and do not squeak at all. Bearing in mind I am a Kitchen Fitter and cart a hell of a lot of equipment around. It came with ABS, EBD, Air Con & Electric Windows. It is very comfortable to drive and has a lot better driving position (in my opinion) than the VW LT and Ducato, both of which I tested. It also has more cabin space and loading space. Granted it is not perfect. The wing mirrors need sorting out, better stereo(!), and maybe better plastics etc. But it is a first try for LDV bearing in mind they went out of business a couple of years back and before then their development partner Daewoo went bust. The Merecedes/VW are too expensive and have a rubbish warranty. I have a 100,000 mile warranty and the van costs me £250.00 a month. A first rate attempt and they are built in this country. The more people that buy one, the more money LDV will have to improve on the next one. As well as supporting manufacturing industry in this country.

Precisely, if more people buy from them, they have money for investment to improve for the next generation - they are cheaper than other vans and this is another factor in build/material quality as well as in limits to R&D budgets. VW and Ford can invest endless millions in R & D, and they (especially Merc and VW) charge accordingly. A reasonably priced LDV means a small business can afford a newer vehicle than they could get from VW/Merc/Ford/Iveco/Renault

Hello again everybody,
I thought I would stop by and give you the latest on my LDV .
I first posted to this great forum after being given one of these dreadfull excuses for a van.
After 6 months I cannot defend this vehicle in any way shape or form.
6 months old and oh my goodness you woulnt beleive it.

Apart from the list of problems in my october post after the vans 1st month of service the list gets bigger, so big infact this website would probably run out of space if I tryed to list them all. I must admit the LDV service personnel are friendly and helpfull but no amount of appolagies and smiles make the van good.

Reason I am here today is I have just had a recall letter

it says Dear sir / madam
LDV have identified a concern reguarding a number of MAXXUS vehicles where it is possible for the rear axle hub bearing to have been incorrectly assembled by our suppliers.
Presence of this defect if unattended could lead to detachment of the rear wheel bearing and hub assembly.Bla Bla Bla So basically you could lose your back wheels at anytime without warning .

Thanks for letting me know after doing motorway miles with heavy loads on board..By the way already signs of inbulit rust. Also clutch judder on top of my previous list of defects found. Oh and plenty of smoke and engine noise on initial start up in the morning. The cenral locking is history too. What a nightmare with no key option on passenger and side loading doors. The dash rattles and the little rubber mat things keep sliding out of the dashboard leaving sweets and fuel receipts everywhere. Also the petrol cap leaks deisel down the side of the van. And I wish I knew why the dashboard lights up and side lights come on when I press the brake pedal. So if you see an LDV in the daylight with its lights on thats me LOL I have to leave the lights on or people think I am flashing them to go everytime I press the brake pedal. Also when it rains water comes in to the passenger floor from under the dashboard somwhere, The CD player ???forget it. and my windsceen wipers stopped on the motorway in heavy rain for about 10 minutes then suddenly came back on

And I over took a large lorry on the A3 and the wind dented the high top roof above the hcab. This is at 6000 MILES and 6 months old.

A 20 year old sherpa wpould have been a better buy. I want my VW back.

By for now I will pop back as soon as I have more to whinge about and no doubt I will

I forgot to say has anyone had the problem of the dashboard rubbing the ball part of the gear lever ? I keep having to dust it out as the plastic seems to be wearing away. and I forgot to say I caught the indicator stalk as I was getting out and it snapped very easily. They look quite chunky but they are rubber covers over very thin brittle stalks the come in at around £50.odd quid and the name on the indicator stalks is DAEWOO !!! I heard LDV are now buiult in Russia in the Lada factory so does LDV mean LADA DAEWOO VANS now ???That would explain alot . But then again my old Lada niva cossack was a fantastic little car and far stronger build than the Maxxus.

Hello - after reading all the responses about the Maxus, i think i will keep my 1996 LDV 400 Series and yep, they are crap too!, but i only work locally, rarely carry heavy loads and if it breaks down (rarely, odd starting problems in colder weather) i just walk or get a cab home!.....But i have wondered about the Maxus, i guess i'll see what they are going through auction at in a year or twos time.
But a few times i have driven a transit, bought from auction, high miles but is comfortable, nippy and responsive - but i guess the quality is reflected in the price when purchased new.
I've always thought LDV are a pretty poor attempt at a 'van' and it sounds like they have acheived the same level of poor quality again - consistent at least!

Its been over 2 years since I posted , the LDV has just had its 1st MOT ,

It feels 100 years old now , I keep losing the bolts from the near side front brake caliper for some strange reason . Last month top bolt came out and caliper rubbed the inside of the wheel , this week the bottom bolt decides to come out a week after having it repaired.

Hole in rubber mat on drivers side alot bigger now. Cup holder inner tray has fallen out, Central locking on side and rear doors not working , They worked untill I got the central locking repaired on the passenger door ,Very draughty on the motorway and wind gets between the door panels and sets of the beeper that says the doors are open at 70mph because of the flex in the flimsy body work. Front door panels keep coming unclipped probably from where they have been apart so many times to repair the locks and windows. Clutch bearing exploded without warning at around 30000 miles sending bits into the flywheel and seizing the engine, Nearside headlamp bulb keeps blowing, Pulls right under acceleration and pulls left under braking. Sways around once past 65 mph , This is a 120hp and max speed ever is about 85mph which is brave as it feels like its going to fall to bits at 70. And leaks like a siv in the rain which comes in from under the dash on passenger side and from the top of the windscreen on both sides , roof lining saggy and stained now. And the handbrake is useless on steep hills, Wire for parking sensors hanging down from rear bumper now as the factory stuck it in place with silver elephant tape rather than use clips. The parking sensors only work when they feel like it, Badly under steers when cornering right and is like its on rails when cornering left. Suspention is harsh yet boucy and unpredictable. And the lumber support in the drivers seat went pop one day and collapsed and now is not working either, And it vibrates and rattles so bad I cant get my sat-nav to stick anywhere. Rear door stays are useless and the whole body flexes where they attach. After 3 years daily use I can say that this is the worst ever van ever.

I hired a large Mercedes van some years ago. As I was about to collect it a passer by said "Cor that won't arf drink some diesel". He was not wrong! The van was needed to collect "A large aerial tower in sections". Sadly when I went to collect the tower I realised that I could have roof-racked the ten foot sections on my Rover SD1 so it had been a waste of money hiring the van.

The aerial tower was actually a Watter & Stanton Flyaway Tower and the triangular sections flat-packed and they would have gone OK on the roof rack

That Mercedes used more diesel than my Rover V8 used petrol. LDVs were never like that. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I have the privilege of owning both a VW Transporter and a LDV Maxus Van. This is a sad story, I have one of the last Maxus vans to roll of the production line before the plant closed.
I am a dyed in the wool VW Transporter fan, but I have been very impressed with the LDV Maxus, The Maxus I have is the top of the range model LWB, XHR Full power 135 hp. This van is a flying machine and very comfortable I have done several journeys from Glasgow to London in the one go, with no adverse effects on me.
The VW I have is the 1.9 TD, yes it?s more like a car to drive than any other van on the market but it is a pretty gutless van, yes the handling on it is amazing cause of the independent suspension all round.
The Running costs for both vans is pretty much comparable 32MPG Maxus and 36MPG Transporter this is genuine running.
I agree the stereo and speakers in the LDV is total junk but that was the first thing to be upgraded. I put mud flaps and an under body wheel cage, and could not believe how reasonable the price of parts were, VW parts are prohibitive. I do a lot of night driving and the headlights on the LDV are far superior. The VM engine fitted to the LDV is a cracker lots of guts same engine in LTI Taxi.
Overall I think the LDV is an impressive van but it?s sad they are no more, I think the final product is a better van than the Turkish built Transits and the Italian Built (Fiat/Citreon/Peugeot) van and the less said about the (Renault/Vauhall/Nissan) vans the better.

Got to say me ol' Mate that my 96k 02 owned from new, Renault Master has been a good friend. Builder. Loaded. Van not me!! Love it to bits. There have been a few minor niggles along the way, but only minor. Would have another tomorrow.

I absolutely love my Vauxhall Vivaro van.Its been totally reliable in the past 5 years i have owned it and is smooth and like driving a car.
Mine is the 5 speed version and i believe the ones with gearbox troubles are always the 6 speed.
I would buy another tomorrow but this one is still immaculate with no rust whatsoever and still drives like new.

I had the privledge of having a vivario a few years back. Yes it was the 5 speed van and brand new. this van was cheap to buy, but you lost the money at the pump this think fairly contributed to global warming(drank fuel like it was going out of fashion) on a good day this van returned 23MPG awful for a medium size van. This van was running up and down the motorway so optimum running (did 17000 miles in 2 months). The load space was not practical (8x4 sheet would not lye flat).We had loads of electrical problems eg loosing all lights and dash lights not good when the bulk of your driving is at night. Problem was never really solved, dealer put in new wiring harness etc.Yes the problem was solved for me just got rid if the van.

I had the privledge of having a vivario a few years back. Yes it was the 5 speed van and brand new. this van was cheap to buy, but you lost the money at the pump this think fairly contributed to global warming(drank fuel like it was going out of fashion) on a good day this van returned 23MPG awful for a medium size van. This van was running up and down the motorway so optimum running (did 17000 miles in 2 months). The load space was not practical (8x4 sheet would not lie flat).We had loads of electrical problems eg loosing all lights and dash lights not good when the bulk of your driving is at night. Problem was never really solved, dealer put in new wiring harness.Yes the problem was solved for me just got rid if the van.

Hi,
Sorry to drag this on,but I have to agree with Martin and VideoDoctor re the Vauxhall Vivaro van!
I have done zillions of miles in vans,always liked their usefullness for one thing,and had one of the early Vivaro's which I thought was a tremendous vehicle,very quiet and powerfull for a van.
In fact I liked it that much,If I could think of a good enough excuse I would swop my car for one now....
Barking I know.....!
Phil.

This strikes me as a perfectly interesting post - but would the Mods explain why

it isn't a case of 'naming and shaming'?

Cheers Waino

I'm not a Mod (can't stand scooters, I'm a bike man myself), but the naming and shaming rule is to protect the site from legal action for libel. Saying XYZ motors ripped you off is libelous if it turns out to be untrue, saying that such and such a car is a dog is fair comment and permissable.

>> Saying XYZ motors ripped you off is libelous if it turns out to be untrue saying that

such and such a car is a dog is fair comment and permissable.

I disagree - whether a vehicle is a dog or not, is highly subjective, and depends on a multitude of things, including suitability for the use it is put to, service history, personal taste, and if the particular example was a ''friday afternoon'' build.

That said, now LDV is no more, I dare say where would be little chance of fallout from this thread!

You cannot prove it's untrue anymore than someone else can prove it IS true -

i.e it's subjective an opinion.

Surely having a bad experience somewhere can also be subjective?
ie, finding my wheelnuts loose after a service at ABC motors, where as when you had you car serviced there your car can back perfect, and spotless?
after all the police finding my wheel 100 metres down the road would be provable, but not allowable on this site!

ie finding my wheelnuts loose after a service at ABC motors where as when you

had you car serviced there your car can back perfect and spotless?

after all the police finding my wheel 100 metres down the road would be provable

but not allowable on this site!

But if it subsquently turned out that you yourself had removed and fitted that particular wheel you would have libelled ABC motors, and as there is no way that the HJ site could be sure you were telling the truth they would be open to action themselves if it turned out you weren't.

There are more than enough posts both here and on other forums where people make claims about being ripped off by various firms and it later turns out they were massaging the facts in their own favour.

As I said before I am not going to condemn a vehicle cause of the stereo, I always junk factory fitted stereos and speakers whether fitted to a car or van, Most Factory fitted equipment is cheap and nasty. I know I work in the audio industry. As for missing Jeremy Vines show that?s a bonus.
Going back to you saying Renault van is better! Wrong there! my mate is mechanic for these guys and he says he?s always fitting new turbo?s, injection pumps and wiring harnesses (his words they are junk). Not good if you are picking up the cost of these parts. (Not un-common for Traffics to have 3 turbo?s in 30000 miles).

I have been running a new Transporter T5 102bhp for the last 6 weeks not impressed with this new van the old Transporter T4 was different class far superior built it oozed quality, the new T5 is cheap plastic interior,the 5 speed gearbox is a disgrace, 1st and 2nd gear are far too low ratio and 4th and 5th gear are too high ratio so the only useful gear in the 5 speed box is 3rd. the T5's handling is very suspect and wallows down the road,for the price of this van its a joke. I still have the Maxus and the T5 could could not live with it on the run, handling in the Maxus is far superior. The only plus point out my T5 is i am getting above 40 mpg.

A very long running post indeedy! I've never driven a Maxus, but I was suprised at the comments about the current shape Transit. I've hired these several times and have to say I've always found them to be a pleasure to drive. Once did a mega journey Portsmouth - Hastings - London - Stoke on Trent and back to P'mouth, via an Ikea in Brum! I won't say I wasn't a tad tired afterwards, but the van was a comfy drive all the way, even when (very) fully loaded! I've also had Transporters more than once and I wasn't impressed after driving the Tranny, nowhere near as nice I seem to recall. As for the dear old LDV, got to bear in mind that their target market was essentially the GPO, whose drivers treat their motors as if they're on a banger circuit, so dirt cheap and easy to fix is presumably pretty much their only design priority. It seems you can't say they missed the mark there lol! What happened to LDV in the end, did anybody save them?!

I think it only looks ok-ish from the front , colour coded bumper and mirrors would of looked a bit better but the back and sides look naff from the doors back. But they did sell a few , my boss bought about a dozen because they were cheap and came with a 5 year warranty which vanished after 1 year along with LDV ! And they are all rubbish even the newest one which is supposed to have 135hp .

I would like to see one of these crash tested with 1 ton of weight on board to see what would happen, I found some good crash tests on youtube but no Maxus ,I know at about 10mph a guy at work broke the headlights radiator bumper bonnet and front panel which is alot of damage considering there was no load on board and the low speed which was backed up by tracker.

Back again, and sooner than I hoped with more bad news. at 44628 miles my ldv maxus gearbox broke. No early warning signs really apart from the van pulling to the right under acceleration,,I know some of you are thinking my ldv pulls right or left but this really was pulling badly like upto a quarter turn to keep it straight and after I turned left and went to accelerate clonk clonk crack grind clunk donk donk first thoughts were cv joint ? driveshaft perhaps ? then bang and that was it. ......Mechanic confirmed gear box broken at the crown whatever that means, I am guessing by the symptoms its the front wheel drive equivalent of a differential and the cost of a replacement brand new gearbox alone........A GRAND.

I enjoyed reading this link.I have not driven a Maxus but have most of the previous models.

Best quote is the gearchange analogy likening it to stirring a bucket of bricks.The 1986 Sherpa truck I am currently borrowing will sometimes refuse to select any gears,so more like a bucket of concrete which has suddenly set.Have held up a few drivers so far, feel like I`m in some sort of motoring time-warp!

The tooling for the Maxus was bought by Shanghai Automotive (SAIC), and moved from Washwood Heath, Birmingham to China in 2010. The Maxus is alive and well and living in China. Sold under the Maxus brand as the V80, it is also exported to Australia under the LDV brand.

I take your point the LDV Maxus is not in the same league as a VW transporter. However I feel I should mention I bought my 07 Maxus 6 months ago for £4500 I have covered 50k miles in it. I was not in the financial position to pay the best part of £8000 for the equivalent Tranporter at that time.

So far I have upgraded the Radio as I agreed with your comments, changed the oil and filters and thats all! It starts first time even in extreme temperatures and Cruises at 75-80 on the motorway. I get over 33 mpg and I quickly got used to the gear change.

Dont get me wrong but im not sure you can compare the two. Its like comparing my VW Golf with a Fiat Punto you pay for what you get.

Found this link whilst looking for another Maxus as i am taking on another person to help with work load and just thought i would give you my view. Still dreaming of getting a Transporter.( maybe next year.)

The worst van ever was the 2.3 petrol Bedford that a friend hired to collect some furniture that he had inherited. The van was the one with the very short bonnet with half of the engine underneath the windscreen area. Access was so bad that one enthusiast fitted slide-rails to his own vehicle so that the engine could be slid forwards like the drawer of a filing cabinet!

Anyhow the van broke down owing to burnt points and it was Sunday! The points were cleaned but after a few miles the spark was lost again. At one filling station we managed to buy a couple of sets of points but they had no condensers (the modern word would be capacitors) About five to ten miles could be covered per points cleaning session but this was extremely tedious as there was about 200 miles to cover. We took it in turns to fix the points but it was a truly horrible journey.

After all that hassle it seemed that some discount was due but the Shylock hire company in Evesham refused to knock anything off the bill.

Any modern van would be better than the one that we hired so count your blessings!

I ran a 2.3 CK Bedford double wheeler in the 70s I did over 100k miles in 2 years and appart from routine servicing it never missed a beat far faster and more economical than the equivelant Transit that replaced it, and far far better than any LDV.

LDV was not formed until 1993 so it would have been impossible to compare a Beford or Ford in the 9070's with an LDV.

NO it wouldn't one kept running and the other broke down one was apleasure to drive one was not do vehicles have to be the same age tocompare when you have had both I think not.It really is a stupid remark coming from you.

LDV was not formed until 1993 so it would have been impossible to compare a Beford or Ford in the 9070's with an LDV.

NO it wouldn't one kept running and the other broke down one was apleasure to drive one was not do vehicles have to be the same age tocompare when you have had both I think not.It really is a stupid remark coming from you

Mine was not a stupid remark at all.

Just consider this.

You were comparing a 1970's Transit or Bedford with an LDV that was not introduced until 1993.

What if I compared the drive of a 1970's Vauxhall Viva or Hilman Hunter with a 1993 Volkswagon Golf, would that be a fair comparison?

Generally people who think that old cars were better are looking at the world in an unrealistic way. I own a "classic" that I have modernised with a current fuel injected engine, 5 speed transmission, suspension and brakes. Its economical, clean and stops and handles well. Its capable of keeping up with all modern traffic and will cruise quite happilly all day at the legal limit on the motorway without deafening the occupants and needing oil and water every few hundred miles. Its cost me more money that I would like to admit but would I drive the original car on todays roads, no way.

In this case it was a better vehicle if you cared to read the previous posts you may be enlightened but you have failed to do so.I personally thing old cars a just what they are good in their day I own a mint 520 E39 and a zero mileage Alfa Romeo 1965 circa the are beautiful to look at but to drive very very dated .My first car a 1937 Austin 10 absolute garbage followed by a 1949 Austin 16 they were good in my opinion when I bought them but today well the swear module would stop what I thought about them.

The A40 Devon was a better car than that for its time. It had an OHV engine, a four-speed gearbox and independent front suspension which the competition, mostly still using pre-war designs, didn't have.

Maybe you had a clapped-out one, Galileo, but my parents had one from new in the 1950s and were very fond of it. Even in 1969, when I bought my first car, a 1955 Austin A50, I could still keep up easily with the traffic.

Incidentally, the Austin 16 was replaced by the A70 in 1948, Collos - and once again please STOP calling other people stupid.

Do you want to check the log book I still have it it was reg number BHL999 registered in 1949 leather front seats west of england cloth rear seats.and if you read my post correctly I called their remark stupid not the person.

The A40 Devon was a better car than that for its time. It had an OHV engine, a four-speed gearbox and independent front suspension which the competition, mostly still using pre-war designs, didn't have.

Maybe you had a clapped-out one, Galileo, but my parents had one from new in the 1950s and were very fond of it.

Avant, you are quite correct, a major improvement over the pre-war10, but as mine was 11 years old (all I could afford) it had tired dampers, hidden rust everywhere. A top overhaul did improve it a little but it would have benefitted from a rebore.

Would it have been any worse than the somewhat similar Commer 1500/2500 vans, with their inset wheels? I drove two of those Commers and both were dreadful. Appalling gearchange, terrible rear-end grip when empty, a lethal rear-hinged optional side loading door.

Re the Weststar Maxus - I didn't realise the Maxus was still around. Even if it hasn't got much going for it, it is better looking than the latest Ford Transit, with it's awkward two grilles of clashing styles on the front. That might lead to a few Maxus sales.

LDV Maxus - What a dreadful van But Great Value for money -
Auristocrat

Weststar originally tried to buy the Maxus production line from the administrators, but failed to raise the financing.

Within 2 years of LDV going under, Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) bought the intellectual property rights to the Maxus and shipped the entire production line from Washwood Heath in Birmingham to China. They've been producing the vans under the Maxus brand name since 2011, including exports to Australia and some Pacific Rim countries.

That must indeed be a strong candidate for the dubious honour. If I remember right, the Atlas had the same 948 cc engine which was underpowered in the Triumph Herald, never mind a van which ws approaching wht we'd now call Transit-sized.

That must indeed be a strong candidate for the dubious honour. If I remember right, the Atlas had the same 948 cc engine which was underpowered in the Triumph Herald, never mind a van which ws approaching wht we'd now call Transit-sized.

5,000 miles? Where's it been lying if it's only done 5,000 miles in 9 years? No fan of them, they weren't up to the standard set by the big manufacturers but I'd suspect it's done a vastly higher mileage and every one of them will have been a hard mile as a garage loan vehicle. Believe they're still being made in Russia if I'm right, since you're such a fan you could import a new one.